Protect Home Care Reimbursements

February 26, 2013

Medicare home healthcare businesses are slated to feel the pain if Congress and the Obama administration fail to prevent the automatic spending cuts called “sequestration,” scheduled to begin Friday, March 1, 2013.

Under sequestration, home health reimbursement rates will be slashed by two percent, on top of the 1.4 percent cut providers have already taken under the 2012 Final Rule and $39 billion in cuts under the Affordable Care Act. These cuts would go into effect March 1, and are a pressing and eminent danger.

Providers must have their voice heard to state that the homecare industry is not able to maintain continued reductions in reimbursements. Furthermore, any compromise must also protect the financial viability of a cost effective industry that is desperately needed in these times of rising need and skyrocketing health care costs.

If Congress comes to an agreement on spending cuts as opposed to the two percent across-the-board cut, the home health industry must not be saddled with additional reimbursement reductions that are named something different, but still mean less money for your business. Names of cuts can be included as home health copays and accelerated rebasing of reimbursement rates.